A WOKINGHAM fitness instructor has proven that there’s always a way to overcome an obstacle.
Kasia Clinton-Carter is the owner and head-instructor of KCC Aerial Fitness, running aerial sports classes out of her studio on Molly Millars Lane.
This includes pole fitness, aerial hoop and aerial sling.
After launching her business nearly three years ago, she and five other instructors now teach fitness and flexibility classes to hundreds of pupils, ranging from seven to 70.
Recently, Ms Clinton-Carter has been busy proving that everybody can stay fit, even if it means using a can of beans as a dumbbell.
When the coronavirus pandemic hit UK shores, the instructor said it was a struggle to shift her classes online.
“I’m so used to teaching in the studio, working my way around each student and training them in person,” she explained. “It definitely took us a few months to get used to it.”
When the first lockdown came in, she said she took it “quite personally” and was worried about what was going to happen to the studio and her fellow instructors.
“The stress began to kick in, but a lot of my students reassured me that they would be coming back,” she said. “That kept me going.”
Ms Clinton-Carter said she didn’t want to stop teaching pupils over lockdown, so had to find new ways to keep them engaged with virtual fitness sessions.
“The borough council has given myself and my other instructors permission to use the studio to film online classes, but a lot of pupils don’t have this kind of equipment at home,” she explained.
Since a lot of the work KCC Aerial Fitness teaches uses poles, hoops
and other specialist equipment, the instructor had her work cut out to make sure all students could still participate in lessons.
But from using dressing gown ties as resistance bands and books
as yoga blocks, Ms Clinton-Carter found ways to work around the obstacles.
“We want to make sure people keep up their fitness and their flexibility, even if we can’t teach them new moves,” she said.
During the current lockdown, the fitness instructor believes it is more important than ever to keep KCC Aerial Fitness running in a bid to support her pupils’ mental wellbeing.
“Some students listen to every single class as a way to stay sane, so it’s important we keep providing classes,” Ms Clinton-Carter explained.
“I see a lot of them are struggling without their mental health escape.
“Fitness really helps some people keep those dark demons away, so I can’t wait until we can properly open up again.”
Looking back on the past year, the instructor said the pandemic has taught her a lot of lessons when it comes to teaching fitness.
She said the biggest lesson has been how to alter her teaching style.
“Before all of these restrictions, I used to spot students and easily show people how to do moves in different ways,” Ms Clinton-Carter said.
“Now, spotting has gone out of the window so I’ve learnt how to explain moves in even more depth.
“I need to make sure people are confident hanging upside down and things, because safety must always come first.”
